THEGAYUK

Tag: The Gay Dad Diaries

Ever wondered what it might be like to a gay dad to daughter?

  • THE GAY DAD DIARIES | Buying bras…

    THE GAY DAD DIARIES | Buying bras…

    Being a dad is hard, being a gay dad harder; being a gay dad to a teenage daughter is mind boggling. This week it has mainly been about bras. Now as a gay man of nearly forty with a rapidly increasing waistline and a rapidly receding hairline the last place you expect to find yourself is in the teenage underwear section of M&S. My daughter has decided this week she needs support in a certain area.

    The extent of my underwear shopping consists of logging on and ordering Calvin Klein 3 pack of briefs still in a medium, just.

    The choice of colour is red, black or white but I have been known to push the boat out and buy some pink on occasion. Now I am thrust into this world of uplifts, padding and underwire. The choice of colour and styles is overwhelming as the aisles and aisles of bras stretch out in front of us.

    At this point I think both me and my daughter are both feeling a touch embarrassed so I do what any gay man worth their salt would do and engage the services of the friendly female shop assistant. This would surely ease the tension all round and allow my daughter to be fitted with her underwear properly and allow us to exit in as short a time as possible.

    how to buy a bra if you're a gay dad
    CREDIT: jackmac34 / pixabay / CC

    After explaining why we are here I safely deposit my daughter with the shop assistant only to hear at earth shattering levels, “I am not putting a bra on in front of her!” Pulling my daughter aside I make clear there is no reason to change in front of the assistant she is merely there to help and ensure the bra fits.

    Drama avoided, I take a seat in the men’s section and await the return of both. After what seems like an eternity they return with several items discreetly wrapped with nothing more for me to do than pay the bill.

    We both have a sense of relief as we leave the shop. Bras bought and no more to be said on the subject. Or so I thought. On returning home, like any girl after a shopping trip, she disappears upstairs to try on her newly purchased items. Then the voice from beyond, “DAD! DAD! these bras don’t fit me.”

    That’s it for this week. I’m done with bras. Next week periods…

     

  • COLUMN | The Gay Dad Diaries

    COLUMN | The Gay Dad Diaries

    Being a dad is hard, being a gay dad harder; being a gay dad to a teenage daughter is mind boggling.

    CREDIT: CC0 Public Domain / artursfoto
    CREDIT: CC0 Public Domain / artursfoto

    This week it has mainly been about hair. Now the extent of my knowledge of hairdressing extends to getting a pubic-looking perm through my flowing locks back in the 90s.

    This wasn’t in any top salon but in the back kitchen of my friend’s house with a home perm kit and her Grandma’s rollers. So when my daughter boldly announced that for her upcoming birthday she would like “highlights”, I thought how difficult can it be?

    Going to the barbers is easy – you turn up, wait your turn, have a session on the clippers a smudge of gel and off you go.

    First, you have to find a salon. But I had this bagged, a quick post on Facebook and my Mummy friends who may or may not have completely natural hair colour advised me of a few places to try. Having made this decision I contacted them to get a price, as even I am not stupid enough to think it’s a £9.00 trim with a £1.00 tip. The science of hair colour, however, means there is no price list, a consultation is required. The consultation duly booked, I headed to the salon with my daughter.

    Even as a gay man, this world of women’s hairdressers was a revelation to me. Foils, full head, half head, natural colour, dip dye. The stylist was talking a foreign language. Now my daughter, who at home has no reservations in expressing her vocal opinion, was too slightly overwhelmed. She sat in the chair and nodded politely at every question asked of her without confirming one way or another, what she actually wanted. This seems to be the way with women’s hair.

    So after sitting in the chair failing to agree or disagree with anything and flicking through a colour chart, much like the ones you get in B&Q to choose paint samples only with little sections of hair, we are booked in for a full head of foils on said birthday. The stylist has confirmed she will, “Keep it natural.”

    Whilst making no comment in the salon my daughter said, “It better not be natural, I want people to notice I’ve had my hair done.”

    To top it off, I am still no wiser on the price. It will depend on the cut and the type of colour used so anywhere between £65.00 and £100.00.

    Imagine if the barbers charged dependent on the clipper guard used?

    That’s all for this week, I’m done with hair. Next week we are shopping for bra’s…